Ducky's duckling
by EllieRoberts
Summary: A kidnapping case brings back Dr. Mallard's flame... Ducky/Janice Byers (Ducky's crush from the episode heartbreak)
1. Chapter 1

It was a boring morning at NCIS and Gibb's temperament was not being helped by the fact that Di Nozzo was expressing his boredom by taking it out on his colleagues….he had to give him the stare. The ringing of the phone was like hearing angels singing.

"Gibbs."

"I need help! My daughter and my grandson are missing and that bastard took them -"

"Hold on a second. Who am I talking to?"

"Retired Chief Petty Officer Arthur Byers – I know this is NCIS but the bastard who took her is in the navy."

The team soon found themselves in an apartment, obviously there was a baby boy around given the bottles, cot, sterilizer and so on…the only things missing were the actual mother and child.

Ziva was taking pictures and Di Nozzo was interviewing the neighbours but no progress so far. Gibbs meanwhile was talking to the man who called him. The sailor in question did not report for duty which made Byers' report more believable.

"Start from the beginning Arthur." Gibbs said as they sat in the living room, he knew when people lied to him and the man before him was not lying…something was strange though – he had a familiarity about him.

"Janice just moved back here after giving birth to my grandson in Geneva where she was teaching – she's a doctor you know…" The silver haired man crowed with fatherly pride. "She's been teaching there but after little Edgar, my grandson was born she wanted to be back home." He gave Gibbs a bittersweet smile "She came here because she felt safe and ended up being abducted."

"Is the father the same guy that took her?"

"It can't be she was in Bethesda when she became pregnant, she never said who the father was – only that he was another doctor but Alberts was afloat at that time and he's certainly not a doctor."

"Wait. Your daughter is navy too?"

"Not a anymore she got in trouble after she set a dead patient on fire. She was really down for a while poor girl but Edgar really made things better for her. Alberts had known her at Med school he dropped out blamed her for distracing him…that son of a bitch – he'd been after her but she never wanted him. We thought we'd never see him again."

Gibbs ran his hand through his hair. Sure enough the photo on the mantel piece was of the man opposite him and who he knew as commander Janice Byers, the cardio surgeon Ducky had fallen for. He hoped to god he would have to bring her body to Ducky, he was hurt enough when she decided to leave after messing up. His thoughts were interrupted by Arthur's cell ringing.

"Put it on speaker."

Arthur nodded and set the cell on speaker. "Yes"

"I'm sorry Arthur" It was Alberts "But don't worry she's with me…she will be forever. We'll be a family- "

"Listen you son of a bitch…" Arthur started but Gibbs put up his hand, Abby was probably tracing the call as they spoke. "Look just get her and Edgar back."

"Do you know how long I have waited for this Mr Byers?!" Alberts was getting agitated "You never approved of me but I made it. I made it she is with me."

Arthur gave Gibbs a helpless look…this was a hell of a situation.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony was bringing up Ziva up to speed in the bullpen before their travelling to Chesapeake, in the midst of holstering weapons, grabbing badges and packing their backpacks, Ziva was still processing the situation in her head. If Gibb's hunch was correct Ducky was a father without even knowing it! She never met the woman as their story took place before she got the job at NCIS but McGee said they had taken a shine to one another pretty much instantly and he bet if she hadn't left they would still be in a relationship.

Ziva looked at the pictures again, she to admit the ex commander was quite pretty...the petite brunette had big brown expressive eyes and full lips, her hair was a chestnut colour - she looked a lot like those expensive porcelain dolls mama used to have before they got smashed to smithereens. The Mossad agent took a look at her boss and she could tell this was hitting close to home, she did not know whether this was reminding him of his own family or simply because there was a baby involved but she sure did not envy the position of the abductor - having Gibbs on your backside was like having a war tank coming behind your mini minor.

"Let's go!" yelled Gibbs in his usual ex-marine sort of way. The ride in the life and the car were awkwardly silent. Everyone had questions and was wondering the situation and yet, the only person who could provide most of them was the only one whose was kept in the dark by unspoken general consensus. The Boss reflected on the various consequences this situation could have on his dear friend.

Gibbs did not get close to people, they were generally taken from him in the cruelest manner but , with all his stories, British accent and sense of humour, wisdom and scientific knowledge had made his life slightly less dull and a little bit warmer. He was one of a handful of people he let call him by his given name and if there was any way he could end this without screwing the pooch, he was damn well gonna do it! In all the year he's known the good doctor, he never saw him get close to anyone but he did remember being amused when the articulate chatterbox was rendered speechless merely by the sight of the pretty cardio surgeon, how he was shooed off by a raise of an eyebrow when she entered autopsy bearing some much awaited documents and how he kept defending her, telling him she was not the one who murdered Dornan. - he told him to trust his gut on her and he was right! She did mess up but she did not kill the much despised Sailor. She was the only one who moved the ME for as long as Gibbs had known him and for what that's worth it means she has something good in her.

Arthur sat on the bus they were stealthily following, how he knew about the danger of losing one's child...if this went to hell, the man would be losing a child as well as a grandchild.

The plan was a rescue mission which would first see the baby safely home after Arthur handed over the money. The money would then be followed until the mother was found, hopefully alive. He just hoped to Christ Alberts wouldn't get jittery. The guy had a couple of restraining orders and had been in therapy for classified reasons for two years, held in a secluded place before he was let loose a couple of months ago. Either way, his gut had a good feeling about the imminent exchange. Obviously, the bastard needed the money - probably for a cross state maybe continental escape. Time, however was of essence.

They arrived in Chesapeake. Arthur had a tracking device, the money and of course a microphone to record the exchange. Ziva and Tony were observing from the tops of two opposite blocks obviously armed with a rifle, binoculars and a camera.

As Arthur got out of the bus with the bag full of money and made his way to the shop, his cell rang.

"I see you're very eager to see the grand baby..."

"I'm here with the money like you asked."

"Ah, yes down to business just how I like it. Drop the bag behind the third rack and get out, cross the road and walk to the left corner of the street and wait for my instructions."

Arthur did as was told, what Alberts did not know was that Gibbs beat them both to the shop and was playing Mario Testino during the whole spiel..."He's on the move." he whispered into his mic as the man in a cap and a rather ugly trench coat grabbed the money.

"I got him." mumbled Tony as he trained his weapon on the man in question.

Ziva meanwhile had her hawk like gazed trained on the corner mentioned in the phone call and her eyebrow creased. "Oh, damn it..."

Arthur's cell rang again "You have been a worthy participant Byers, the little one is on the pavement just round the corner in a telephone box."

What Arthur never saw and made Ziva swear was the fact that is was Dr. Jane Higgins who put little Edgar in the phone box before disappearing in a side alley.

Did not see that coming huh? :D What do you folks think so far?


	3. Chapter 3

Ziva has been tracking down Alberts since he touched the bag which unbeknownst to him had a tracking device too. Apparently this guy was sick but not very bright, they were just hoping he wouldn't get crazier and hurt the good doctor.

Gibbs and DiNozzo returned with Arthur and little Edgar back to NCIS after a hospital visit to make sure the little one is all right. Di Nozzo brought in Jane Higgins and was verbally making her wish for an electric chair as he went after her like a pit-bull in the interrogation room. Tony had come to love Ducky as his own relative and this woman had not only pissed them off, but was an accomplice in what that sick bastard was planning. It became known that she had wanted Janice gone because she was jealous of her, she wanted her new job and Alberts had presented her with the solution. Tony forced her to spill all about the plan and it came out that Alberts was planning to leave the state with Janice, probably after threatening her with having Edgar killed if she did not comply.

Gibbs went straight to Abby's lab and found his friend tinkering with her computer two passports appeared on the screen. Apparently, Jane had spoken the truth next time round. Ziva sent her pictures of fake passports for both Alberts and Janice both under different names.

"Hey Abby." said Gibbs as he strolled in with a sealed bag in his hand and a Cafpow glass.

"Gibbs! Is it true?" the Goth took the Cafpow from the special agent and focused on the man she regarded as a fatherly figure as she waited on his answer.

"That is why I'm here…I need you to perform a DNA test on this." He said giving her the sealed plastic containing a few hairs he got after holding the baby as Arthur got out of the car. The little guy was asleep with his head lying on his chest – his shirt. He needed to know for sure and this was the only way to get the confirmation.

"What is this? With whose DNA am I comparing?" she asked quizzically as she took it and set to get to work.

"With that of Dr. Donald Mallard."

She looked up as if to say "I can't believe it" but the look on the ex-marine's face stopped her from saying anything. "He's not dead is he?" she cried expecting the worst.

"No that vermin traded him for money – better to us than a human trafficker. He thinks the granddad will be satisfied and will get us off his back."

"But we're not, right?"

Gibbs gave a half smile " Ziva's on his ass as we speak and DiNozzo and I are joining her – call me as soon as you're finished."

"Always do!"

* * *

Ducky was bored and restless, he had no bodies today and he could feel his brain cells dying as he caught up on his paperwork but now that that was finished he wandered out to see how the world was today, might even catch someone from the team but the bullpen was almost empty which meant work was probably coming soon. He did however see an older man sitting on the chair opposite Ziva's desk holding a baby who must have been a few months old.

He wondered whether they needed any help and headed over towards them.

"Excuse me are you looking for someone?" he asked in his British accent as he offered the man a cup of coffee.

"Oh no that's all right. Agent Gibbs and the others are looking for my daughter…this guy's mom." Arthur said as he shifted the baby, clearly he was getting exhausted.

"Oh" Ducky said, he sympathized with the man who was wondering whether his daughter was alive or not "I'm sorry, but let me tell you. I have known agent Gibbs for many years and his team are some of the best people I know. They will get her back you'll see. Would you like me to hold him for a second?" he asked, noticing Arthur's discomfort.

"Sure thing, I'm actually lucky to have this one back – that son of a bitch just traded him for money." Aurthur growled as he handed Edgar to the doctor now sitting on the chair beside him.

"Yes the world is full of evil I'm afraid. Though these little ones do give me hope…I'm Ducky by the way."

Arthur smiled "Ducky?"

" Mallard is my full name but nobody calls me that." He chuckled as the boy in his arms woke up and became fascinated with his colourful bowtie. His face held an unexplained familiarity and he was looking at him as if there was a secret or a story he wanted to share…'not until you're a bit older my young lad' Ducky thought. I had never happened to him to have a silent conversation with anyone – let alone an infant but there was just something about him. Something he had never experienced in what he considered a well lived life.

The boy's eyes were identical to his and he wouldn't be surprised if he'd discovered he had Scottish ancestry.

"I'm Arthur, by the way, Arthur Byers."

"Byers?" The doctor looked at the plasma screen and beside a photo of a rather crazy looking man was a face he knew very well. Janice…he remembered meeting her at Bethesda, being speechless, asking her for her numbers…Gibbs' admonition that he should not let women affect him. He remembered a very romantic dinner in the Smithsonian basement, her sparkling eyes and that brown hair not to mention those lips." He looked at the boy, he had her Monroe-like lips.

His mind flashed back to that night as he rambled about his Morgan while he drove her home and her asking what he thought were knowledgeable questions (the lady knew her cars.) She was sophisticated, clever with an impeccable sense of humour and a sense of history which he thought quite wondrous in her. The road was blocked and it was getting quite late. They ended up in his townhouse. Mercifully his mother was visiting Uncle Malcolm in Scotland and took her nurse with her. He put her in the room opposite his and in the early hours of the morning he heard her scream. She'd had a nightmare – looking back it was probably about Dornan but at the time he just wanted to see what was wrong and make it better for her. She cried on his shoulder, sipped the warm milk he had prepared laughed at some of the stories he told to distract her from the bad dream and kissed him…he never made it out of her room.

The last he had seen her was at the hospital, he remembered how said he was when she tearfully told him she had to leave to figure out what came next in her life and putting on a brave face as he got back to NCIS with Jethro. He had been right about her all along after all. She did not murder the safety officer, he chose the treatment and she followed his wishes. It was a tragedy that she had to pay the price. As a person as well as a doctor.

And here he was…looking at a picture of the missing lady doctor who had captured his heart and possibly holding her son. He had to be sure.

"Is she his mother?" he asked the now almost asleep retired Chief PO.

"Yeah" he replied shaking his head to regain composure and took a sip of the now cold coffee. "My daughter Janice."

"Oh and is he….?"

"The father? Thank Christ no. Janice never talked to me about the father – I doubt she even told him about little Edgar there."

"Why not?"

"Well the relationship ended before she came home from DC. I guess she did not want to bother the guy."

Ducky felt the blood leaving his brain. He handed the boy back to his grandfather and ran out trying to get air into his lungs and his mental bearings back in place. It could not possibly be…could it?

* * *

The next chapter won't come in for a few days guys as I'll be a bit busy with school. I would like to thank those who followed, faved and reviewed. Feel free to give me any comment, suggestions, constructive criticism or plain old gushing about our favourite doctor!


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